Bucs Volleyball Sunk by Sailfish

Rosie Johnston was Barry's best player at the net in Friday's loss to PBA. Photo by Jason Roberts

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- It wasn't the night the Bucs envisioned by any stretch.

Instead Barry will have to regroup for three important region matches next week to close the regular season. Entering the final week of the regular season, the Bucs are No. 8 in the South Region poll. The top eight teams qualify for the postseason.

This night, against the No. 29-ranked team in the country and No. 4 in the South, the Bucs (15-12) just didn't have it. Earlier this year, Barry forced Palm Beach Atlantic (33-3) to five sets before falling in West Palm Beach. Friday wasn't as eventful.

Barry managed just six kills in the opening set, and attacked at an .080 clip in one of the Bucs' more sour sets of the season. The Bucs didn't get much help in the second set, either, despite hitting a respectable .280. PBA hit a blistering .609, committing just one error in 23 attempts, while putting 15 balls away to give the Sailfish a 2-0 match lead.

In the final set, the Buccaneers found themselves down, 14-10, only to rattle off three straight points, beginning with Rosie Johnston's kill to cut the gap to one. Mariela Quesada's two straight putaways pushed the Sailfish back up three before Mima Hajdukovic's kill helped Barry pull within 17-15. But the Sailfish scored six of the next seven points to essentially put the match on ice.

Quesada had a match-high 17 kills, and hit .538 with three aces.

Barry's Tania Torres, who on Thursday was named an Academic All-District selection, led the Buccaneers with six kills, hitting .333, with a solo block. Johnston had three kills in six attempts and four blocks, including a solo.

Barry outblocked Palm Beach Atlantic, 6-0.

Mariana Lisboa, called upon in the third set as an attacker after handling back row duties early on, banged down two late kills to keep the Bucs breathing in the third set, but it was too little too late. Lisboa had the Bucs' lone ace.

PBA served 10 aces.

Barry will close the regular season at Lynn 7 p.m. Tuesday before hosting Eckerd and Tampa next Friday and Saturday at 7 and 4 p.m., respectively, in Health & Sports Center.